Incidents In The Life Of A Slave Girl By Harriet Jacobs

Harriet Jacobs in her book Incidents In the Life of a slave girl relates to her readers her experience as a slave in the South. She believed that “only by experience can any one realize how deep, and dark, and foul is that of abominations” (Preface 3). The purpose of her story was to show a different angle of slavery and the struggle she faced trying to free herself along with her children. The story started as her being a child “born into slavery” and how her life changed as she was faced with the deaths of both her father and mistress, which now meant she would be sold to the family of Dr. Flint. Throughout the books Linda faces many trials and tribulations but she continuously stands her ground to control herself regardless of being a slave,

“When he told me that I was made for his use, made to obey his command in everything; that I was nothing but a slave, whose will must and should surrender to his, never before had my puny arm felt half so strong” During Linda’s hard time her Aunt Martha always instilled upon her and the other that she believed that slavery was “gods will” and their grandmother had a very submissive attitude towards masters and their demands. However, Linda refused to have the same point of view, as her aunt and grandmother because growing up her parents taught her that she should take control of her own destinies and that she is a self respected human. She ahs held her parents values close to her heart and refuses to obey everything. She “advised him[William[ to be good and forgiving, but she however she “was not conscious on the own beam” in her eye. It was her knowledge of her “own shortcomings that urged” her to resist commands. It was then she realized “the war” of her life had begun and she “resolved never to be

For a man to revolt against his master, he would stand up and fight him if necessary. However, for women slavery was a lot more focused on the mental torture that they endured on a daily basis. For Linda she was faced with the threats of taking her children and being sexually harassed. During the first years of service Dr. Flint would “whisper foul words” in her ear and she couldn’t “remain ignorant of their import.” Eventually, everyone knew the “guilty practices under that roof” and no one questioned them because of the consequences that would follow. When Linda would continuously refuse to accept Dr. Flint’s offers “he would threaten to sell” her child because he knew that was the one thing that was important to her. Women went through torture that would mentally drive them into a very sad state because there was not much that they could do against their master except for refuse their